known as John Lackland. 1167–1216, king of England (1199–1216); son of Henry II. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother Richard I, having previously tried to usurp the throne. War with France led to the loss of most of his French possessions. After his refusal to recognize Stephen Langton as archbishop of Canterbury an interdict was imposed on England (1208–14). In 1215 he was compelled by the barons to grant the Magna Carta

4.

called the Fearless. 1371–1419, duke of Burgundy (1404–19). His attempt to control the mad king Charles VI and his murder of the king's brother led to civil war: assassinated

5.

Augustus (Edwin). 1878–1961, British painter, esp of portraits

6.

Barry born 1945, Welsh Rugby Union footballer: halfback for Wales (1966–72) and the British Lions (1968–71)

7.

Sir Elton (Hercules). original name Reginald Dwight. born 1947, British rock pianist, composer, and singer; his hits include "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973) and "Candle in the Wind 1997" (1997), a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales

8.

Gwen, sister of Augustus John. 1876–1939, British painter, working in France: noted esp for her portraits of women

John

masc. proper name, mid-12c., from Medieval Latin Johannes, from Late Latin Joannes, from Greek Ioannes, from Hebrew Yohanan (longer form y'hohanan) literally "Jehovah has favored," from hanan "he was gracious."

As the name of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, it was one of the most common Christian given names, and in England by early 14c. it rivaled William in popularity. The Old French form was Jean, but in England its variants Johan, Jehan yielded Jan, Jen (cf. surname Jensen). Welsh form was Ieuan (see Evan), but Ioan was adopted for the Welsh Authorized Version of the Bible, hence frequency of Jones as a Welsh surname.

john

n.

"toilet," 1932, probably from jakes, used for "toilet" since 15c. Meaning "prostitute's customer" is from 1911, probably from the common, and thus anonymous, name by which they identified themselves. Meaning "policeman" is 1858, from shortening of johndarm, jocular anglicization of gendarme.

johns

john 1

[1930s+; probably an amusing euphemism for jack or jakes, 16th-century terms for toilet; some say fr Sir John Harington (1561–1612), who originated a form of water closet, but evidence for the attribution is lacking; cuzjohn, ''cousin john,'' in the same sense is found in 1735]